Japan Earthquake: A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Japan’s southwestern Kyushu region on Tuesday, injuring at least 50 people, damaging buildings and infrastructure, disrupting transport services,
and triggering widespread power outages across parts of Kumamoto prefecture.
The shallow quake prompted authorities to issue emergency earthquake warnings across multiple prefectures on Kyushu, while more than 1.5 lakh residents were asked to evacuate as a precaution.
The tremor also triggered a tsunami warning, which the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) lifted less than two hours later after determining the immediate threat had passed.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had received reports of injuries, while assessment of casualties and property damage was still underway.
She said the earthquake caused building collapses, fires, damage to roads and bridges, and power outages, urging residents to move to safer locations and remain prepared for strong aftershocks.
“We have already been informed that people have been injured,” Takaichi told reporters, adding that protecting lives remained the government’s top priority.
POWER OUTAGES, TRANSPORT HIT IN JAPAN AFTER EARTHQUAKE
About 40,000 households lost electricity following the earthquake, according to Kyushu Electric Power, while telecom services were disrupted in some areas due to power failures and damaged transmission lines.
Rail services, including Shinkansen bullet trains, were suspended for safety inspections, while Kumamoto Airport shut its runway, resulting in flight cancellations and diversions.
The Japanese Defence Ministry also dispatched aircraft to assess the damage.
JAPAN TSUNAMI WARNING LIFTED, AFTERSHOCKS FEARED
The JMA later lifted the tsunami warning that had been issued for parts of Kyushu’s coastline.
However, officials cautioned that the region could experience strong aftershocks over the next week, particularly during the next two to three days, and warned of an elevated risk of landslides.
Authorities also confirmed that no abnormalities were detected at nearby nuclear power plants.
Japan lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. The nation experiences frequent seismic activity and accounts for nearly one-fifth of the world’s earthquakes measuring magnitude 6.0 or higher.
